Lengthening pre-schoolers name

[Trinxsy]

Hi all,

I really regret not giving my son the 'full' version of his name and he is instead given the nickname variant.

He does answer to the full version as it's not too different from the nickname version.

How hard would it be to change and is it worth it?

To change the name of a child under 18 you can either:

make an unenrolled deed poll by using a specialist deed poll agency or a solicitor

apply for an enrolled deed poll from the Royal Courts of Justice

If you choose an enrolled deed poll, this means your child’s new name will usually appear on public record in The Gazette.

Some organisations will only accept an enrolled deed poll as proof of a name change.

Costs £42.44

Link to gov.uk info page and to download the forms here

https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll/change-a-childs-name

In some circumstances you can ask for the child's name not to be made public.

Do you need to, can’t you just call him what you like? After all that’s how most nicknames were made up.

Samuel nn Sam so why not…
Sam nn Samuel

i don’t think anyone would ever notice

A nickname is a nickname, whether it's a shortening or a lengthening. Honestly it's probably not worth it given he might choose the shorter name when he's older anyway. Just call him what you want in person.

You seem to want to do that enough to ask and it seems straight forward enough and only costs under 100 pounds.
Go for it - before he starts school..

Easy to do and probably best to do it now? Crack on, I know someone who wanted to do this and didn't but now regrets it

This is why I hate the nicknamey name trend! Always better to have the choice of both I think.